


Wear the blue tie

by who_seeks_shall_find



Series: Life as I see it [48]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Date Night, F/M, Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Help, post-season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-08 11:46:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15242700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/who_seeks_shall_find/pseuds/who_seeks_shall_find
Summary: William helps Oliver to choose a tie for a date night with Felicity. Oliver and William end up talking about everything.





	Wear the blue tie

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of a series about Oliver's imprisonment and a year after it. This drabble takes place after 348 days of Oliver's release from prison.
> 
> The series will be updated once a day (if it's just possible). It's going to include 122 drabbles about Oliver, Felicity, William and other characters who are involved in their lives. It's going to take approximately four months to finish the series. The drabbles are linked to each other but they're NOT in a CHRONOLOGICAL order. That's why, there may also be gaps or blanks which are filled in later.
> 
> I wish that every character is respected without unnecessary hatred.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Oliver stood in front of a mirror in the bedroom and he stared at his own reflection. He was wearing his suit trousers and a white shirt which was still unbuttoned. His suit jacket was on the bed with his phone and wallet. Oliver rubbed his fingers together nervously as he gazed at every scar on his chest.

He was having a date night with Felicity after a long time and at first he had been really excited. Now he was more like a nerve wreck although it wasn’t entirely because of the date night. It was more about his own insecurities which were resurfacing as he kept staring at his reflection.

He had been sure that he had left all those problems behind but now he felt his stomach turning into knots. He had made so many mistakes during the last couple of years. He had lost Quentin and he had lost his freedom. He had hurt his family and lost their trust on him. He didn’t even know how his family and friends were still able to think he was lovable. 

Oliver inhaled deeply and tried to calm his nerves. Felicity had convinced him so many times that she loved him no matter what. William kept repeating he needed him. Roy had come back and he wanted to work with Oliver again. John was always there for him. They were always convincing Oliver that he was a good man who was trying to do his best. Still it was hard to accept. Questioning himself had become a bad habit of his. 

He trusted his wife and son. He trusted his family and friends. Why couldn’t he trust himself? His lack of trust for himself had bad effects on his relationships but he couldn’t stop going down that road. He didn’t know how he could convince himself that he wasn’t just a sorry excuse for a man. How could he convince himself that he was lovable?

Oliver started buttoning his shirt with shaky hands so he could cover every scar and his own doubts. He needed to compartmentalize these thoughts like he had done with the scars. He had compartmentalized the pain and the people who had caused him those physical scars. He had dealt with those feelings but at the same time he had ignored the emotions which had followed the pain and the scars. 

Oliver was done with his shirt and he huffed to himself out loud: “What’s wrong with you?”

Simultaneously, there was a slight knock on the door and Oliver turned to look at the door as he exclaimed: “Come on in.”

William’s head popped up from the crack of the door and he said: “I’ll leave now, dad. Chris and others are waiting for me.”

Then he was about to close the door again but Oliver shouted: “Wait, William.”

William opened the door wide and stepped inside. He raised an eyebrow in silent question. Oliver smiled at his son and motioned him to come closer. William walked to the bed and flopped onto it after he had removed Oliver’s suit jacket and other items. He was laying down on his back while let out a contentment hum. He closed his eyes.

“Your bed is so much softer than mine,” William mumbled and Oliver couldn’t help but laugh at his son’s antics.

“Don’t get used to it, buddy,” Oliver said as the corners of his mouth kept twitching.

“Yeah, yeah,” William answered and opened his eyes.

Then he rose to his elbows and continued: “What’s up, dad?”

“I was thinking maybe you could help me to choose a tie for tonight. For the old time’s sake,” Oliver replied and winked his eye.

“Wasn’t that date night a bummer?” William asked and frowned a little.

“You’re probably right but I'm sure it was still a good tie,” Oliver stated as he smirked at William happily.

William barked out a laugh and rose to his feet. He went to the closet and Oliver followed him. William went through Oliver’s tie drawer as Oliver himself just leaned on the door frame. He looked at his son’s determined face keenly. 

William concentrated on his task but he mumbled: "I know you are staring at me, dad.”

“Good. Then Roy and I are not training you for nothing,” Oliver said and went to get cufflinks from one of the drawers.

The silence fell upon them and William kept looking for the perfect tie. Oliver looked down and put on the cufflinks. Then he straightened his sleeves and flattened the wrinkles. 

Suddenly, William started: “I’m grateful to you for giving me self-defense lessons. I know you weren’t a fan of the idea at first.”

Oliver looked up at his son. William gave him a tight smile and offered a blue tie. Oliver smiled back at William as he said: “You’re right. I didn’t like the idea. It was like forcing you to grow up faster than you had to. I should have understood that it had nothing to do with the self-defense classes.”

“Well. You were right, too. Knowing all that stuff also brings a big responsibility. It isn’t always easy to understand it,” William mumbled as he dropped his hand in which he was holding the tie.

Oliver took a step closer and pressed his hand on William’s shoulder. They looked straight in each other’s eyes silently. Then Oliver said: “It’s never easy to see the physical pain you’re causing. It doesn’t matter if it was or wasn’t entirely your own fault. It’s never easy and I don’t want you to get used to it.”

“Are you used to it? Are you used to see the pain you’re causing as the Green Arrow?” William whispered.

Oliver shook his head before he answered: “I have never gotten used to it although it’s not a secret that I have done some unspeakable things. I guess I have learnt to ignore the pain I’m physically causing to others. It has been the only way to continue my work as the Green Arrow.”

William nodded and he bit his lip while he handed the tie to Oliver. Oliver raised an eyebrow and asked teasingly: “Are you sure this is it? I’m going to blame the tie if my date night with Felicity is ruined.”

William rolled his eyes and smacked Oliver’s arm gently. Then he said: “I’m sure. Felicity always talks about how it brings out your eyes. You can’t go wrong with that blue tie.”

“Why haven’t I known about this? I would have been wearing this tie all the time if I had been aware of all this,” Oliver complained as he stepped back to bedroom and in front of the mirror.

“Maybe that’s the reason,” William said and leaned on the mirror frame as he looked at Oliver.

“You’re becoming more and more cheeky, young man,” Oliver stated as he tied his neck tie. 

“Roy says it’s genetical,” William teased back and now it was Oliver’s turn to roll his eyes.

“You should believe nothing that he says,” Oliver grunted while he finished the knot.

William didn’t say anything but he smiled at his dad sweetly. Oliver turned his gaze at William and asked: “What?”

“There is nothing wrong with you, dad. You know that, right?” William said and his expression became more serious again.

Oliver was shocked for a moment and he gulped loudly. The he inquired cautiously: “What are you talking about, buddy?”

“I heard you talking to yourself and asking what’s wrong with you. Now I’m telling you that there’s nothing wrong with you. At least not like you think there is,” William stated concerned as he kept staring at his dad.

Oliver sniffed and dropped his gaze to the floor. He tried to regain his composure. After a while, he grunted and asked quietly: “Do you really think so?”

“I know so, dad. You’re annoyingly stubborn, you make unilateral choices and you act overprotectively…” William listed until Oliver interrupted him.

Oliver laughed and raised his hand up in the air in surrender: “Don’t tell all my good traits at once.”

“I’m serious, dad,” William complained but he couldn’t quite keep his composure.

William went on: “You’re all those things but you’re also a good dad. I can always trust on you having my back. You’ll always be there for me. You always fight for your loved ones and you never give up on us. You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and sometimes it must feel like it’s crushing you. You always start doubting yourself when you suddenly feel like you’re drowning. That feeling also causes all those bad decisions. You have to share that burden, dad.”

Oliver mouth was hanging open as listened to his son’s reasoning. This was the moment when he was sure that William was more Felicity’s son than his. Oliver’s heart was swelling with love and he didn’t know what to say or do. His eyes were filling with tears. William smiled at him widely and pumped his fist against Oliver’s shoulder. 

“Are you okay, dad?” he asked laughing.

“All good,” Oliver answered in a ragged voice which was thick with emotions.

“Good,” William said simply and took a step closer. He wrapped his arms around Oliver’s waist.

Oliver also wrapped his arms around William’s shoulders and squeezed him tightly. William leaned his head on Oliver’s shoulder and Oliver pressed a small kiss on the top William’s head. They stood there silently for a long time and Oliver felt how a few tears slipped onto his cheeks. Finally, William cleared his throat and Oliver patted his shoulder plades before letting go of him. Oliver wiped the tears away from his cheeks. 

“You should know that you can be proud of the man who you’re looking from the mirror,” William said and nodded towards the mirror. 

“Yeah?” Oliver asked.

“Really, dad. And I’m not talking about the way you look although Felicity always loves to talk about how "ridiculously good-looking" you are,” William joked and made quotation marks with his fingers when he talked about how Felicity appreciated Oliver’s body.

Oliver chuckled and blushed a little in front of his son. William grinned at Oliver’s reaction and teased him: “Don’t worry. Your good-looking appearance is a passing thing so there’s no reason to blush.”

“Hey,” Oliver exclaimed and tried to look unamused without succeeding.

William kept going as he took a step closer to his dad and stared at his hair closely. He faked a shocked expression and pointed at Oliver’s hair while he said: “Is that the first grey hair I’m seeing, dad?”

“Okay. Now get out of here,” Oliver huffed out and shoved his son’s shoulder playfully.

William laughed and turned to the door. He shouted over his shoulder: “Maybe that blue tie, which brings out your eyes, will prevent Felicity from seeing your grey hair.”

“Bye, William,” Oliver grunted as he picked up the suit jacket. 

William just laughed and soon his voice disappeared to the corridor. Once more Oliver rolled his eyes at his son’s words. William was definitely becoming a sarcastic teenager and Oliver actually loved every minute of it because it meant they were there together. Even when he was exhausted and annoyed, he still loved the time he spent with his son and wife.

**Author's Note:**

> Update for tomorrow:  
> Sara Lance and Ray Palmer come to visit Star City after Diaz is caught. Oliver's caveman actions may resurface when he follows the exchange between his wife and Ray.
> 
> P.s. The trailer for season 7 was released... Who else is hyped?


End file.
